Mamdani vetoes first bill in sign of tensions with NYC council
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued his first veto Friday, halting City Council bill Int. 175-B that would have forced the NYPD to publicize plans for handling protests near...
By Fox News · Fox News
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued his first veto Friday, halting City Council bill Int. 175-B that would have forced the NYPD to publicize plans for handling protests near schools and other educational facilities. It is the latest sign of Mamdani's growing clash with Council leadership , deepening an early power struggle with Council Speaker Julie Menin over policing, public safety and free speech. "The problem is how widely this bill defines an educational institution and the constitutional concerns it raises regarding New Yorkers’ fundamental right to protest," Mamdani wrote in a statement. "As the bill is written, everywhere from universities to museums to teaching hospitals could face restrictions." "This could impact workers protesting ICE, or college students demanding their school divest from fossil fuels or demonstrating in support of Palestinian rights," he continued. ISRAELI COMEDIAN DROPS OUT OF PASSOVER EVENT AFTER LEARNING OF MAMDANI'S ATTENDANCE "Int. 175-B is not a narrow public safety measure; it is a piece of legislation that has alarmed much of the labor movement , reproductive rights groups, and immigration advocates, among others, across this City. Nearly a dozen unions have raised the alarm about its impact on their ability to organize," the mayor added. Menin is going to work to whip up votes to override Mamdani on the bill, which finished just four votes shy of being veto-proof, passing last month 30-19. "Ensuring students can enter and exit their schools without fear of harassment or intimidation should not be controversial," Menin wrote in a statement. "This bill simply requires the NYPD to clearly outline how it will ensure safe access when there are threats of obstruction or physical injury, while fully protecting First Amendment rights ." HOUSE REPUBLICANS DEMAND TRUMP ADMIN DENY MAMDANI FEDERAL SECURITY CLEARANCE The bill, sponsored by Councilman Eric Dinowitz, would have required police to submit a protest-response plan to the…